Lebanon advances $150 million World Bank-backed digital transformation programme

Lebanon's Minister of State for Administrative Reform, Dr Fadi Makki, outlined priorities for the country's $150 million World Bank-backed digital transformation programme during Bread&Net 2026 in Beirut. Speaking at a session titled "Digital Transformation in Lebanon: From Legislation to Implementation", organised by SMEX at the École Supérieure des Affaires, Makki said stronger coordination across ministries and public institutions is essential to prevent duplicated technology projects and wasted expenditure.

Administered by the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform (OMSAR), the $150 million World Bank loan will finance digital infrastructure, stronger cybersecurity, the digitisation of priority government services, digital identity systems and data centres. The session at Bread&Net 2026 also featured MP Halimeh Kaakour, Wassim Mansour, former Minister Dr Nasser Yassin and journalist Mahdi Karayem.

Makki emphasised that technology investment alone will not deliver meaningful reform without effective governance, reliable data and coordinated implementation to translate legislative reforms into operational changes. He noted that cooperation across ministries is particularly important in artificial intelligence, as public institutions increasingly explore automation and data-driven service delivery. By aligning infrastructure investment with institutional capabilities, the government intends to ensure ministries can share resources, establish common technology priorities and avoid developing competing systems.

To determine which government services should be digitised first, Makki highlighted the role of the Dawlaty initiative. The mechanism uses citizens' actual needs and experience with public administration to guide administrative reforms and shape investment decisions, seeking to address fragmented government technology development while improving access to essential public services.

"The success of digital transformation is measured by its ability to turn legislation and investment into better government services and tangible, lasting improvements in citizens' lives," Makki said. For citizens in Lebanon, the immediate challenge is turning financing and policy commitments into sustainable, functioning digital services that reduce bureaucracy and improve daily transactions and interactions with the state, with the programme's effectiveness depending on execution, interministerial cooperation and sustaining reforms beyond the initial investment.

Sources: OMSAR, Intelligent CIO Middle East, Intelligent Gov.tech

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